Kwame Kilpatrick appoints lawyers for removal review

DETROIT — Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has appointed two attorneys to represent him during Governor Jennifer Granholm's review of whether he should be removed from office.

Kilpatrick on Thursday named Detroit general counsel Sharon McPhail and James Thomas, an attorney on the team handling his criminal defense. City Council President Ken Cockrel Jr. named William Goodman, the council's independent attorney in its investigation of the text-message scandal involving the mayor.

Granholm had asked them to name legal representatives.

Council members accuse Kilpatrick of violating the city charter by using public office for private gain and settling city civil litigation without the council's consent.

The Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News also said Thursday they plan to challenge a judge's decision to have a closed hearing on a motion by Kilpatrick's lawyers to keep all evidence in his criminal trial out of public view.